Line-holder.



I. B. TURNER LINE HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED I'EB JO, 1909. 963,834. Patented July 12, 1910.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY 1n: NKIRRIS P175175 :0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

IRA. B. TURNER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LINE-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12, 1910.

Application filed. February 10, 1909. Serial No. 477.082.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA B. TURNER, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Line- Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in line holders, and is espeiz ially adapted to the use of holding a clothes The object of my invention is to provide an exceedingly simple and effective device of this character to which a line may be readily and easily attached.

A further object of my invention is to provide a line holder which will prevent that part of the line on one side of the holder from falling should that part of the line on the other side of the holder break.

The device consists principally of two castings, a stationary back plate provided with a serrated gripper and having a horizontal plate formed therewith and lever arms pivoted to the horizontal plate, thus a very cheap but strong device is produced.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved line holder. Fig. 2, a side elevation showing a part of it in section and a portion broken away. Fig. 3, a plan view. Fig. 4, a similar view showing a line attached and the lever arms drawn to one side for holding said line, and Fig. 5, a side elevation, a portion thereof shown in section of a slightly modified form of my invention.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, A represents the back plate, havlng the openings B through which pass screws or their equivalents for fastening the back plate at the required height to a post or other object. Formed integral w1th this back plate is a horizontal plate C provided with the ears D in proximity to its outer end, and having an opening E formed in its outer end. Beneath this horizontal plate is formed a rib C whereby the horizontal plate may be braced. Through the opening E passes the stud F formed integral with the lower portion of the lever Gr, having the double arms H which extend inward or toward the back plate A. The stud F is cast with a groove in the lower end thereof so that after the stud has passed through the opening E in the horizontal plate C the metal on both sides of this groove may be readily turned up against the bottom of the horizontal plate, thus pivotally holding the lever G to said plate.

The downwardly extending flanges J formed with the lever G rest against the upper face of the horizontal plate, and the contour of the same approximately coincides with the contour of the outer end of the horizontal plate from ear to ear so that when the lever is turned from one side to the other it will be impossible to catch the line between the lever and the horizontal plate which would cut or wear out said line. On the inside surface of the lever G are formed the grooves G which assist in the gripping of the rope.

Formed with the back plate A and the horizontal plate C at the point where they join one another is a serrated projection K having an upwardly extending lug L with which the arms H of the lever Gr come in contact to prevent the arms turning too far to one side or the other.

In my modified form as shown in Fig. 5, I form an opening M in the outer end of the lever G, through which passes a rivet N or its equivalent, said rivet also passing through the opening E in the outer end of the horizontal plate C, thereby pivoting the lever G to said horizontal plate C.

In practice the lever G is moved to one side and the line passed over the arm H farthest away from the serrated projection K, then by moving the lever in the opposite direction the line may be placed over the opposite arm or the lever Gr may be held so that the arms H are an equal distance from the serrated projection K, at which time the rope may be slightly bent so that it will pass around the serrated projection and beneath the arms H, then by pulling either one side or the other of the rope one of the arms will be drawn toward the serrated projection K, which will serve to tighten the grip of the serrated projection K, so that the harder the pull on the line the tighter the same is held.

Should that part of the line on one side of the device which has the greatest tension thereon break, the weight of the line on the opposite side of the device will pull the lever G in the opposite direction causing the other arm H to draw nearer the serrated projection K, so that the line will be gripped by the serrated projection K but at another point, which will prevent the whole part of the line from dropping to the ground. This feature of the invention is very valuable, for when the device is used as a clothes line holder and the lines are full of clothes, should one part of the line break the rest of it will still remain in position, thus saving the person washing the clothes the trouble of rewashing them, as is generally the case when any one portion of the line breaks.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction here shown as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, is

As an article of manufacture, a line holder consisting of a back plate provided with means whereby it may be attached to some object, a horizontal plate formed integral therewith having an opening in its outer end, a serrated projection formed with the back plate and horizontal plate, a lug formed with the top of the serrated projection, a lever provided with arms, said arms being limited in their movement by said lug, said arms having downwardly extending flanges provided with grooves on the inside surfaces thereof, and means passing through the hole in the horizontal plate for pivoting the lever thereto.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IRA B. TURNER. Witnesses:

JOHN RAMSEY THOMAS, WM. 0. PAUL. 

